Improved reversible latch



6M' @QZ UNITED STATES EDWARD HALLEY, OF BRANFORD, CONNECTICUT.

IMPRovED REVERSIBLE LATCH.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 50,931, dated November 14, 1865.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HALLEY, of Branford, in the county ot' New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Reversible Latches; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description ot' the same, and which said drawings constitute part ot' this specification, and represent, in

Figure l, a side View; Fig. 2, a sectional View, showing the latch and its operative mechanism; Fig. 3, a section cutting through line my; Figs. 4 and 5, end vews,the latch reversed and in Fig. 6 a face View.

My invention relates to an improvement in the construction ot' latches for doors, whereby the latch may be reversed, so as to be applicable to either a right or let't hand door; and it consists in making that portion of the latch which passes through the face-plate round rand attaching the latch to the horseshoe, so that the latch may be turned over from right hand to left hand and secured in either position without being drawn from the face-plate or any disarran gement of the parts ofthe latch or lock.

To enable others skilled in the art to construct and use my improved latch, I will proceed to fully describe the same as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

A is the face-plate; B, the latch-bolt, made round, as seen in Fig. 6; C, the follower; D, the horseshoe. E, the spindle of the latch, is attached to the horseshoe at e, so as to turn freely therein. F is a spring for forcing the latch from its case. These several parts are arranged within a case, G, as seen in Fig. 2.

a is a key or slide to secure the latch-bolt in the proper position (see Fig. 3) for either a right orlet't hand door, its lower end extending through the case, as seen in Figs. l and 3.

The latch-bolt B in Fig. el is set as for a left-hand door. Ifdesired for a right-hand door it would be necessary to reverse the bolt, as seen in Fig. 5. To do this draw the key or slide a from the position in black to that denoted in red, Figs. l and 3. Then turn the bolt B one halt over or from the position in Fig. 4 to that in Fig. 5, then return the key a to the position denoted in black, Figs. l and 3, which secures the latch-bolt in that posit-ion, as seen in Fig. 3.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Constructing the latch-bolt ot' the form sub stantially as described, so as to be reversed without withdrawal from the case, in combina tion With the slide or key a, or it sequivalent, in the manner and for the purpose specified.

EDWARD HALLEY.

Witnesses:

J oHN E. EARLE, RUEUs H. SANFORD. 

